Coast Guard ends unsafe fishing voyage

BOSTON – The Coast Guard ended a fishing trip Tuesday about 13 miles east of Eastport, Maine, for the vessel’s failure to comply with safety regulations.

A 41-foot boat crew from Coast Guard Station Eastport, Maine, boarded the fishing vessel Four Brats of Edmunds, Maine, around 12:30 p.m.

The boarding team found the vessel had exposed electrical wiring and holes in the walls of the forward compartment.

These findings rendered the 34-foot dragger unsafe for sea and the Coast Guard escorted the Four Brats back to Edmunds and instructed its crew not to get underway until all discrepancies were corrected.

“As fishing season approaches it is critical that all mariners ensure their vessels are safe for sea,” said Petty Officer Second Class Walter Kendall, the officer of the day at Station Eastport. “The ocean can be an unpredictable, unforgiving environment and boaters should be prepared for anything.”